Joseph P. Bradley

“ If any doubt existed as to the extent of the Mexican league, an inquiry might be necessary to ascertain it. But no such doubt exists. The old legal league, by the laws of Spain, and which was adopted in Mexico, consisted of 5,000 varas; and a vara in Texas has always been regarded as equivalent to 33 1/3 English inches, making the league equal to a little more than 2.63 miles, and the square league equal to 4,428 4/10 acres. This is perfectly well understood in Texas, where controversies respecting Spanish titles are constantly brought before the courts. ”

“ We think, therefore, that the grant must be sustained. The evidence produced to authenticate it is, under the circumstances, all that the claimants could be expected to produce.
But the grant is for four leagues only. The claimants obtained a decree below for four American or English leagues; and such leagues may have been inadvertently allowed in some previous cases. But it is evident that no such leagues were in the minds of the parties. ”

“ It is understood that the department has always, since that time, acted upon this standard of value of the vara in respect to surveys in California; which makes the square league of 5,000 varas to the side, equivalent to 4,340.278 acres. ”